In New York, Andy and Charlie flee agents from the Shop, a secret government agency. Andy uses his psychic ability to “push” (or psychologically manipulate) a cab driver to take them to the airport, which depletes him considerably. While he recovers, Charlie uses her telekinetic ability to empty pay phones of change. She overhears the thoughts of a soldier, Eddie Delgardo. Perturbed by their misogynistic nature, she uses her pyrokinetic ability to set the soldier’s shoes on fire. She does this instinctively and feels intense guilt. Her parents call her pyrokinetic ability the “Bad Thing” (19), and forbid her from using it. Andy and Charlie flee the airport, winding up in a motel.

While recovering, Andy recalls taking part in the testing of a substance known as Lot Six while attending college and meeting Charlie’s mother, Vicky: Vicky and Andy help each other through the harrowing experience of the testing of Lot Six, and come to realize that the drugs briefly enabled them to be telepathic. After other subject participants have distressing reactions to the drugs, the test is covered up and the participants move on. Andy later marries Vicky. They have Charlie, who, they soon realize, has inherited variations of their telekinetic and telepathic abilities, and has her own ability of pyrokinesis.